Chapter 462 – Falling for the Alpha as a Surrogate Novel

Filed To Story: Falling for the Alpha as a Surrogate Novel

“Hey!” I call cheerfully, and Roger wh*ps towards me, stopping so fast in his tracks that he almost trips over his own feet.

“What are you doing in here?” he asks almost growls.

I lean back a little in surprise, looking him up and down. “I’m sorry,” I say, my voice deep with sarcasm. “Am I… not allowed to sit in our living room?”

Roger scowls, hanging his head for a second and running a hand through his hair before looking up at me again. ” I’m sorry,” he says, and I can tell that he means it even though his voice is cl*pped. “You just surprised me – it’s been…”

“One hell of a day?” I offer.

And he sighs, and nods.

“Come here,” I say, reaching for him and folding my legs to make space on the couch.

“Actually, Cora,” he says, glancing up the stairs. “Can we just go to bed?”

“Really?” I ask, going a little still. ” You’re not hungry, or…”

“Please,” he says, hanging his head again, almost begging for a moment. “I just want to go to bed. With you. And just…be there. All right?”

“Okay,” I say, a little disturbed now. Because I don’t frequently see him like this. Once we broke into Roger’s tough shell, he revealed himself to be funny, and sweet, and full of jokes. This Roger, which exists even beneath that? Earnest, vulnerable Roger?

Well, if he’s showing me this side…he must really be upset.

I’m on my feet and moving to his side in a second. “Sure,” I say, nodding to him and taking his hand. “Let’s go.”

And my mate nods to me once, tugging on my hand and pulling me up the stairs with him.

We don’t say much as when we get up to the bedroom, instead moving smoothly through our evening routine. Roger gives a quick k**s before heading to the bathroom to take a short shower, washing off the day. I’m silent as I change into my nightgown, laying out a pair of pajama pants on the bed for him, because I know that’s all he’ll sleep in.

Then I turn on the fire because I want the warmth and a little light to see by, but otherwise shut off all the lights and climb into bed, waiting, idly stroking my stomach.

I watch my mate as he comes out of the bathroom a few minutes later, his face serious and his eyes far-off, thinking through something that I know he’ll tell me about in a few minutes when he’s ready. I can’t help admiring him a little when he drops his towel and reaches for the folded pajama pants on the edge of the bed.

Feeling my desire down our bond despite my efforts to keep it to myself, Roger raises his head a little and smirks at me. But I just shrug, because I mean, it’s not a secret.

My mate’s hot. What am I supposed to do when he shows up all naked in bedroom, the fire highlighting the carved lines of his body in a fl**kering orange glow?

His smirk turns into a full smile by the time he gets the pajama pants on and moves to his side of the bed, pulling back the covers and sl*pping beneath them. I scootch across the mattress, p**ssing myself to his side, and Roger lets out a wicked little growl as he wr*ps his arms around me and pulls me close, resting his cheek against my ch*st and letting out a long sigh of comfort.

“Poor Roger,” I murmur, running my fi**gers through his still-damp hair and cooing softly to him in a way I rarely do.

Because most of our relationship is based on a great deal of laughter and t**sing. But tonight? Tonight, I can tell he needs something different.

I start to run my fi**gernails lightly over the skin of his back in a way that I know he likes. And Roger, to my content, starts almost to purr with the pleasure of it. Interestingly, for how much we usually want to tear into each other, there’s not too much that’s sexual about this moment. Instead, it’s simply comfort freely offered and gratefully accepted by two people who love each other very, very much.

“Tell me everything, baby,” I murmur, hoping he will.

And Roger, to my pleased surprise, comes right out with it.

“It’s war, Cora,” he sighs.

“Really?” I ask, unable to keep the dread from my voice. “Did they declare it?”

“No,” he says, shaking his head and wr*pping an arm around my waist, wanting me as close as I can get. “But- we were in meetings with the Atalaxians all day and it’s very clear that’s where they’re headed. Dominic could tell, I could tell, dad could tell. They’ve got us in a bad spot, and they want war. So? They’re going to declare it the minute this delegation gets back.”

I sigh, dread filling me, but still…

I mean, we knew it was heading for this, didn’t we?

So, what has him all wr*pped up?

“Tell me,” I say quietly, nudging him a little down the bond, letting him know that I know that there’s more.

---